On January 10th a panel of Scientists who had helped develop the first atomic weapons in the Manhattan Project decided that the ‘Doomsday Clock’ should be moved forward by a minute. They are the ‘Bulletin of Atomic Scientists ‘(BAS) and their brief is to show how close the world is to total annihilation (Doomsday).They stated "It is five minutes to midnight. .. “ The world still has over 19,000 nuclear weapons, enough power to destroy the world's inhabitants several times over." Not solely concerned with nuclear proliferation, they blamed world leaders for failing to act on climate change, safe sources of energy and rising international tensions, etc.

God is in control

Fortunately, we can rest assured that the world won’t be subjected to a rain of missiles followed by a nuclear winter. For God is and always has been in control of world events and He promised long ago to Noah that.. Ge 8:22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

Still, the world is due for a bumpy ride in the near future, particularly in the Middle East due to the tension between Iran and God’s people, Israel.

For some time Israel, the United States, other Western nations, and the Gulf Arabs have charged Iran with pursuing a secret nuclear weapons development program. Iran denies this, but the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reported that Iran has long sought nuclear technology of a military nature.

Iran has agreed to more talks with IAEA officials in late February but many believe Tehran is just buying time while continuing its nuclear programme.

The horns of a dilemma

European nations fear a nuclear armed Iran and/or Israel taking steps to prevent it. The USA is worried too. U.S. Defence Secretary Leon Panetta believes there is "a strong likelihood" that Israelwill strike Iran in April, May or June. After this, Iran will have produced enough enriched uranium to make a weapon. In a truly ‘Catch 22’ situation - the US doesn’t want to hit Iran until all negotiations have failed and they have evidence that Iran is building a bomb- by which time it will be too late!

Both the US and Israel are on the horns of a dilemma, made worse for the US, because they are not sure what Israel’s plans are. President Obama said recently that he didn’t think Israel had made a decision on what they need to do. He wouldn’t comment on whether the US would get notice from Israel before any potential strike on Iran, but it has been speculated that Israel would not give the Obama Administration more than a few hours notice before launching an attack on the Islamic Republic.

Although Israel is contemplating military intervention as an option; Iran’s nuclear programme cannot be blocked by a single air-attack as it was in 1981. The sites are now scattered across mountainous areas, deep underground where bunker busting bombs cannot reach. A surgical strike seems thus unlikely; possible options would be nuclear weapons, ground attacks or even invasion. None of which would help Israel’s standing in the International Community. And, of course, Iran would retaliate. They could impose a ban on oil exports to Europe and the Strait of Hormuz, the passageway through which nearly 40% of the world’s oil has to pass, could easily be blockaded, which would cause a worldwide economic crisis – and Iran has been practicing for such a move, with a large naval exercise, which includes mine laying.

Israel & the US have been painted into a very tight corner. Economic sanctions have been sabotaged at every step by Russia who has regularly blocked resolutions against Iran in the UN Security Council; provided technology for missile and nuclear reactor development and still claims that Iran’s nuclear development is only peaceful. It seems their plan is to diminish the USA in the eyes of the world. For, whatever happens, the US cannot win! If they attack, the world will see them as the oppressor, if they don’t and Iran obtains nuclear weapons, they will be seen as impotent – and an Iran with nuclear weapons would encourage other Middle Eastern countries to build them.

What a nightmare! Imagine if several Arab nations who are committed to the destruction of Israel had such power in their hands; that would be a true Doomsday scenario.

Jerusalem a burdensome stone.

The Jews , though God’s People, are not as yet behaving as such. They are striving to save their nation by their own strength, without recourse to God. Their salvation will only happen when finally realising that they are facing total annihilation, they turn to God who will save them. He will also at this time make them worthy of His love

Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

At this time they will acknowledge Jesus as their Messiah

Zec 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

The threatened conflict with Iran is, in God’s plan, merely a skirmish. Jerusalem will be a burdensome stone to all nations (Zech 12:3) until the time when the world’s armies meet in conflict in Israel. We read of this in Joel Ch 2, where the ‘weak’ possibly encouraged by possessing nuclear weapons, consider themselves ‘strong’.

1 For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,

2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.

9 Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:

14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

15 The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.

16 The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

17 So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.

So the BAS scientists can rest easy, there will be no Doomsday! Joel describes a time when God brings this crisis to a head and crushes Israel’s enemies. Then Jerusalem will be the centre of the world from which the Lord Jesus Christ will reign.

A King who will reign over all the earth

Psalm 72 gives us a beautiful picture of the reign of God’s King, who after he has saved Israel will rule over all the world. And, unlike today’s rulers, dictators, presidents and kings he will govern wisely and kindly, so that all the man made evils of mankind will be eliminated.